How to Win
Box three of the Strategy Choice Cascade, and, in Martin's own words, the hardest question in strategy, the most important, and the one most commonly faked. HTW is a theory of advantage: a specific, testable argument for why the chosen customer chooses you over every alternative, on your chosen field (Where to Play, the two are one decision).
HTW is a theory of advantage: a specific, testable argument for why the chosen customer chooses you over every alternative, on your chosen field (Where to Play, the two are one decision).
Why it is faked so often: a list of sensible improvements feels like an answer. It is not. Faster, cheaper, higher quality, every competitor is pursuing the same list. That path is Operational Excellence Is Not Strategy.
Diagnostics:
- The Opposite Test, could a rival sanely choose the reverse?
- The Cant-Wont Test, is the advantage protected because rivals can't copy it, or won't (it would break their own model)?
- The logo test, remove the name; could a customer tell whose HTW it is?
A real HTW must ultimately cash out as Compelling Customer Action, see The Customer Is the Only Judge. It is sustained by Must-Have Capabilities built specifically for it, not generic excellence.
Seam with the OKR system: your OKRs should trace to the How to Win, Key Results are the evidence your theory of advantage is working.
Our synthesis of Roger Martin’s published work, sources credited. Read the originals: they’re excellent.
Reading about method is not the same as running it. We install this system and build the capability that stays.
Turn strategy into executed strategy →